Carbon Sequestration

Opportunities in West Virginia

August 2022

West Virginia
Climate Impacts
Climate impacts, such as extreme weather, are
already affecting the operations and yields of
farmers, foresters, and other landowners, as well as
other West Virginia residents. A large portion of
residents live in flood zones, and in 2016, West
Virginia experienced record rainfall and severe
flooding from a “thousand-year storm.” Conversely,
increasingly severe droughts could pose additional
challenges for transportation on major rivers like the
Ohio and Kanawha. In addition to crop loss, gully
and soil erosion, reduced dairy production and
livestock fertility, West Virginia risks experiencing
many more 90°F + temperature days. Heat-related
illness and death remain significant public health
challenges for much of the state.
Geography
West Virginia's borders are almost entirely defined
by rivers and ridges. It has 35 state parks and eight
state forests, the latter of which are vital for
carbon sequestration. Approximately 70-80
percent of West Virginia's total land area is filled
with 12.1 million acres of forest land. These store
tons of carbon and are among the most biodiverse
and resilient in North America. Forest growth alone
accounts for more than 70 percent of the total
annual terrestrial sequestration. Northeastern
West Virginia has the highest area of forest land at
4.5 million acres with 24 percent in public
ownership. Sustainable land and forest
management is critical for its tourism industry and
Appalachian conservation writ large.

Quick Facts
The Appalachian Basin, which includes West Virginia, can store approximately 20 metric
gigatons of carbon dioxide.

The forests and urban trees in West Virginia remove 16 percent of all carbon dioxide
emissions in the state, and 14 percent of all carbon emissions in the U.S.

In July 2011, the West Virginia Carbon Dioxide Sequestration Working Group provided a
report on recommendations "with Respect to the Development and Widespread
Deployment of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration throughout WV."

In March 2022, the West Virginia State Legislature passed a bill to establish standards and
practices for carbon sequestration in the state.

By: Thomas Benson and

1 Jessica Olcott Yllemo
Carbon Sequestration
Carbon sequestration is the process of storing atmospheric carbon dioxide—one of the leading
greenhouse gases—for a long time. It is similar to carbon capture and storage (CCS), which
focuses on technological means of carbon sequestration, and both have similar end goals of
preventing carbon from entering the earth's atmosphere. It is one method of reducing the amount
of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and is an opportunity for climate change mitigation. Trees
sequester carbon through photosynthesis and trees that grow rapidly, such as young trees, are
preferred as they can sequester more carbon in a shorter timeframe than mature trees. This form
of sequestration is called biologic carbon sequestration and refers to vegetation, soil, aquatic
environments, and trees as storing carbon. Geologic carbon sequestration is the process of storing
carbon dioxide in underground formations and is sometimes used in oil recovery processes to
improve extraction. When trees or other organisms storing carbon die, their carbon is released. As
of 2020, there were approximately 24 CCS facilities operating worldwide, 12 of which were in the
U.S. These facilities operate in five industry sectors: chemical production, hydrogen production,
fertilizer production, natural gas processing, and power generation.

Strategic Significance
Carbon sequestration initiatives are key components of removing carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere, especially for heavy industry. It is not only an important tool to leverage in meeting our
national climate emissions goals, it is also an economic opportunity. By 2050, 80 percent of carbon
sequestration initiatives are projected to be deployed across manufacturing areas, such as cement,
iron, steel, and large electricity plants. Growth in these initiatives is expected to skyrocket after 2030.
According to one study, the cost of capturing and storing carbon through CCS technologies ranges
from $60 to $300 per ton, whereas the cost of carbon sequestration from forest activities ranges
from $10 to $150 per ton. Similarly, planting trees (biologic carbon sequestration) is a more
affordable and effective means of carbon sequestration. Likewise, West Virginia is home to several
outdoor recreation hotspots, including the newest U.S. national park, so maintaining and enhancing
the landscape for tourism is essential for creating jobs and maintaining overall economic
development.

By: Thomas Benson and

2 Jessica Olcott Yllemo
West Virginia - Carbon Sequestration Activity Highlights
The Department of Energy (DOE)'s National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is DOE's only
government-owned, government operated national lab. One of its three sites is located in Morgantown.
NETL's Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnerships (RCSP) Initiative aims to develop carbon storage
and technology programs. West Virginia is split between the Midwest Regional Carbon Sequestration
Partnership and the Southeast Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership.

In 2020, West Virginia University professor Debangsu Bhattacharyya was awarded funding for four DOE
carbon capture related projects. Professor Bhattacharyya is a nationally recognized leader in clean
energy research and development.

In 2021, the Family Forest Carbon Program—a product of the American Forest Foundation and the
Nature Conservancy—was launched in West Virginia to pay family and individual small forest owners to
implement sustainable forest health practices to increase the amount of carbon sequestered and stored
on the land.

According to the West Virginia State Forest Action Plan (2020), forest conservation and management
helps to store 12.7 million tons of carbon dioxide with a value of $586.5 million.

The West Virginia Division of Forestry also launched its Forest Stewardship Program to support similar
private landowners interested in managing their forest land sustainably.

Select Activities from West Virginia Federal Delegation

In March 2021, Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) introduced the Carbon
Capture Modernization Act which would advance carbon capture technologies at coal plants.
Companion legislation in the House was introduced by Representatives David B. McKinley (R-WV), Carol
Miller (R-WV), and Alex Money (R-WV).

In July 2021, Senator Manchin, introduced the Energy Infrastructure Act, which includes provisions for
carbon capture and storage.

In September 2021, Senators Manchin, John Barrasso (R-WY), Angus King (I-ME), and Roger Marshall
(R-KS) introduced America's Revegetation and Carbon Sequestration (ARCs) Act of 2021, which aims
to "restore ecosystems and boost carbon storage and sequestration through tree planting, fire risk
reduction project, and expanded use of forest products and new wood technologies."

In February 2022, Senators Manchin, Barrasso, Dick Durbin (D-IL), and Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
introduced the Department of Energy (DOE) Science for the Future Act of 2022, which, among other
things, would establish a Carbon Oxide Sequestration Research and Geologic Computing Initiative at
DOE.

In July 2022, Senator Manchin joined nine Senate colleagues in urging DOE to implement the Direct Air
Capture (DAC) Hub program established under the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
"the way Congress intended."

By: Thomas Benson and

3 Jessica Olcott Yllemo